Illumination
by In Darkness Is Light
Summary: Just a brief recap of the events of frontier told in Kouichi's POV. Contains brotherly love and other touching moments. Twincentric near the end.


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT THIS STORY!

This past year has changed me and my outlook on life entirely.

So much has gone on, it's amazing.

First, my grandmother died and then mother started getting sick and couldn't take days off from work. It seemed like everyone around me was in pain and I was powerless to do anything about it. I also found out that I had a twin brother named Kouji and I almost killed myself trying to meet him. Chasing after him in the subway, he had escaped me by getting into an elevator. I yelled and banged the doors of the contraption when I hadn't made it in as well, then decided it would be so much better if I just took the stairs. I might still make it in time.

The last thing I remember was falling, tripping on a step and I was sent flying into the air. I later woke up in this darkness in the digital world, a place where I was surrounded by my pain, fear, and confusion. In this evil entity I met Cherubimon, a celestial digimon who used my dark feelings to corrupt me and turn me evil. Though looking back now, I don't believe I put up much of a fight against him. He handed me the spirits of darkness, whose true identities were concealed in a blanket of evil, and I became Duskmon.

It wasn't until I met Kouji in the Digital World and fought against him (he as the Warrior of Light and I as the Warrior of Darkness) that I became aware of the evil and hate that had consumed me. It took me a while to see that my actions were wrong, but when Kouji finally defeated me and separated me from the spirits I knew.

After I rid myself of the evil inside of me I was very glad to be able to get to know Kouji, my brother whom until recently, I'd been secretly stalking. It felt good not to have to hide anymore.

At first, Kouji and I barely talked to each other. Neither of us had known about the other until recently, and it was hard to tell who was more shocked. Me, because I had finally met him, or him because he just found out that his long-lost brother who he'd known nothing of had just tried to kill him.

Obviously, we started off shakily, neither of us knowing how to act like the brothers we were but after a while it just came naturally to us. We soon developed a bond and found a part of ourselves that we didn't even know we were missing. It was as if all my hurt and confusion dissipated in our connection, and for the first time I felt that I wasn't the only one who had to carry this burden.

In fact, I no longer felt a burden and I noticed, as did the others, that Kouji was willing to open up to me so quickly. It was comforting for sure, but for someone who's had to handle a life of pain by themselves, it was also a bit frightening. I love my brother, don't get me wrong, I just didn't know how to open up. I suppose in the end our bond was only strengthened by the fact we nearly lost each other as soon as we'd found each other.

I remember lying in the snow, barely conscious and seeing all my friends with fractal codes around them. Puzzled, I wondered why I never had a fractal code come up. When Crusadermon told me the reason, I was horrified but it made sense. The last memory I had on earth before coming to the digital world was falling down the stairs and calling out Kouji's name. Deciding to spare everyone the pain of knowing, I kept this to myself, silently praying every moment that Kouji and the others wouldn't find out.

And until we fought Lucemon, they didn't. But when I took his attack of darkness to save my friends, it was inevitable. I gathered the rest of my energy and put it into transferring my spirits to Kouji before I left and telling him how glad I was to have met him and that I was sorry that we wouldn't see each other more.

The look of pain and anguish on his face was unbearable to me and when he called my name out I felt my heart break. Smiling up at him as if to say, 'Hey, it's ok bro. I'll always be with you, even if it's not physically', I realized this was probably the last time I'd ever see him. With that thought in my mind, I stared intensely at him, still smiling, memorizing every outline, every feature as if to remember him forever.

When the battle with the evil was finally over and my friends emerged victorious, they were sent back to the real world. Through Kouji's D-Tector Lowemon told him that I was still alive.

A few moments had passed and Kouji and the others had found themselves toppled into the elevator at Shibuya station. Takuya, having been back to the real world a time before, remembered seeing me heading towards the stairs. Running frantically, they headed down the stairs the same way I had and saw only police officers at the bottom. Kouji told them that I was his brother and they in turn told him where I was hospitalized.

Upon reaching the hospital, they saw the doctors trying desperately to revive me. Nothing was working, at least nothing the doctors did. Crying, Kouji ran to my lifeless body, the others right behind him. When one of his tears hit my face, a miracle happened. The D-Tectors started glowing a bright light and turned back into cell phones. My eyes were no longer lifeless and vacant. They returned to their regular midnight blue and I woke out of my coma. Looking up and seeing Kouji crying over top me, I too began crying. The doctors around us stood, astonished at what they had just witnessed. Needless to say, the day ended happily, and so it has been thus far.

From that point on, I knew I was going to lead a happier life. I finally had everything I'd ever wanted; a family (Yes, I did meet my father and Kouji's stepmom), best friends, a twin brother I was so strongly linked to, and I had finally released the impure darkness in my heart.

The gang and I are still best friends and we meet up as often as we can. Usually we hang out and reminisce about the way things used to be and our adventures in the digital world. The topic always trails off because we begin to wonder if we'll be needed again or if we'll ever see our spirits. The conclusion in our minds is always the same; even though the spirits aren't here with us physically, they remain a part of us that will never go away.

Also, Kouji and I's parents (Meaning my mom, his dad and step mom) have opted for joint-custody so every Saturday I stay at my dad's and hang out with Kouji. It's amazing how quickly they've accepted me into their family, especially Kouji. Without him, I fear I'd still be the evil and corrupted person I always was and that my heart would be full of anger, hatred and confusion towards the world.

Kouji is definetly my light and what I would call "my better half". Though that's what he says about me also. I think we've both helped each other in ways that neither of us can even begin to comprehend.

We can appreciate it though and I know our bond has made us stronger, better people. As the sun in our room shines down through the windows, illuminating our faces, we smile at each other and know that whatever happened before, and whatever will happen later on won't matter because we'll always have each other and our friends.

And for that everyone, I am truly greatful.


End file.
